


To Live is So Startling

by mirandible



Series: Respawn, Reset [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst, Gen, He's Dad, Minecraft, Phil is dad, Revelations, Scars, Techno's a badass and also a reckless idiot, That's it, friendships, i don't make the rules, mentions of injury, the kind you get from fighting not from, this isnt about that, tommy is chaotic and a techno simp, wilbur is concerned but also done with techno's shit, yknow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:28:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25740589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirandible/pseuds/mirandible
Summary: Every time Tommy has seen him, without fail, Techno has been bundled up in at least three layers of clothing. Once or twice he ditched the cloak when farming potatoes in the midday sun became simply too unbearable, but even then his shirts all had long sleeves. Tommy never thought to wonder what he looks like underneath.Seeing Techno now, he’s willing to bet that was intentional.(Tommy always knew Techno was a badass, but like, damn. He's amadman.)
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Philza, Dave | Technoblade & TommyInnit, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: Respawn, Reset [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1868593
Comments: 44
Kudos: 2155
Collections: Completed stories I've read, MCYT Fic Rec, Mixed_Fics, Other Fanfoms





	To Live is So Startling

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文-普通话 國語 available: [【SBI/授权翻译】To Live is So Startling 生活充满惊奇](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29754867) by [AnnaBrown](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaBrown/pseuds/AnnaBrown)



> In this world, when a person dies and respawns, it... _resets_ their body, so to speak. Like how in Minecraft you respawn with full health and hunger. No sickness, no wounds, not even scars left behind. So in some circles, scars can be seen as a sort of trophy, a mark of victory—you fought hard and you _survived_ , and you have the scars to show it.
> 
> Title is Emily Dickinson again pog

“Psst, Tommy.”

Tommy isn’t sleeping.

“Tommy, wake up.”

He’s pretending to.

“ _T_ _ommy_.”

He hasn’t slept a wink since Phil said Techno would be returning soon.

“Tommy, _get up._ ”

That was two days ago.

“Tommy, he’s _back_.”

The boy shoots out of bed, nearly elbowing Wilbur in the face. “Why didn’t you say that first?!”

“Jesus fucking— of _course_ you’re awake.”

“Greatness never sleeps, Wil!”

“Right. Come on, he’s downstairs with Phil.”

Tommy wastes no time blasting off down the stairs, nearly tripping over his own feet and dragging Wilbur down with him. Wilbur catches him before he falls, of course, and doesn’t even lecture him like Phil would.

Not that he’d listen.

Tommy bounds down the hallway faster than any sane man should, skidding to a stop in the doorway to their lounge. 

Techno and Phil are arguing over something or another, and Tommy is all too happy to interrupt them by announcing his presence, but one look at Techno stops him in his tracks.

_What the hell?_

Every time Tommy has seen him, without fail, Techno has been bundled up in at least three layers of clothing. Once or twice he ditched the cloak when farming potatoes in the midday sun became simply too unbearable, but even then his shirts all had long sleeves. Tommy never thought to wonder what he looks like underneath.

Seeing Techno now, he’s willing to bet that was intentional.

The man is absolutely _covered_ in scars.

Remnants of swords and axes and bows decorate his skin in a lethal masterpiece, and not a single part of him is left bare. A deep gash in his side hastily bandaged mid-battle, an arrow piercing his arm ripped out to fire back, a sword’s slash that came _this close_ to slitting his throat—each one dancing over his flesh with a story to tell. Stories that must span weeks and months and _years_ , stories of hurting and healing and surviving, stories of _victory._

But if he has years’ worth of scars _now,_ does that mean…

Tommy blinks a few times, trying and failing to process what he’s seeing, the sheer _implications_ of it all, but he can’t. He settles for saying the only thing running through his head.

_"What the hell?”_

-=+=+=-

“Will ya stop fussing? This is barely a scratch, you don’t need to stitch it—“

“A _scratch?!_ A wound like this could _kill_ you!”

“I take personal offense to that.”

“ _Technoblade—_ ”

“Just leave it be—“

“Sit your ass down or so help me I will kill you my _self!_ ”

“As if you _could_.”

“Don’t test me—“

“ _What the hell? "_ A new voice interrupts them, high-pitched and heavily accented. Both men look to the doorway, and Techno takes only a moment to process before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Wilbur,” he starts, slowly. “What was the _one_ thing I asked you not to do?”

“Wake up Tommy,” the taller man replies smoothly.

“And what did you do?”

“I woke up Tommy.”

Techno throws his head back to stare at the ceiling, exasperation infecting his voice. " _Why?_ ”

“You know how much he misses you when you leave, Techno, and you were gone for quite a while this time. He deserves to be here when you come home.”

“That doesn’t mean I want him to see me like _this_ ,” he spits the word with a vehement distaste.

“Like _what?_ The world’s not going to end if he—“

“ _He_ is right here,” Tommy interjects. “And _he_ would like to know what happened to Technoblade.”

Techno wishes Phil would hurry the fuck up so he could put his cloak back on. “It was a nasty run-in with some wither skeletons. I’m lucky this is all I got from them.”

“You know that’s not what I was—“

“Wither skeletons?!” Phil practically screeches. “You were fighting _wither skeletons?!_ ”

“It’s really not that big a deal.”

“I want to—“ Tommy tries, but is immediately cut off once again.

“ _T_ _echno..._ ” Wilbur starts, running a hand through his hair. “Wither poison is one of the deadliest killers of our time, you can’t risk contracting it!”

“‘One of the deadliest killers of our time'—” Techno repeats in a mocking voice, fake accent and all— “shut up. _I’m_ the deadliest killer of our time, a little wither can’t stop me.”

Wilbur crosses his arms. “That _ego_ is going to kill you before anything else even gets the chance.”

Techno levels a glare at him. Even sitting on their couch having his wounds cared for, the man’s dead eyes, narrowed and calculating, could strike fear into anyone who crossed him.

But Wilbur knows better than anyone that Techno is, first and foremost, loyal. He stands his ground.

Tommy opens his mouth to speak—

“Alright,” Phil says quietly, barely managing to make a dent in the tension. “You should be good to go now.”

“Great,” Techno replies, pulling his shirt over his head like his life depends on it. The scars disappear beneath regal ruffles and long sleeves, and Techno suddenly looks like Techno again. He cracks a minuscule smirk, “thanks dad.”

Phil rolls his eyes. “I am _not_ your father.”

Techno makes some ungodly combination of a scoff and a snort and says, “I sure hope not.”

For just a moment, all is quiet.

“ _Listen to me!_ ” Tommy shouts, scaring Wilbur half to death beside him. “Technoblade, for the love of god, what the hell _happened_ to you?!”

“Don’t you have ears?” Techno snarks. “I fought some wither skeletons.”

Wilbur sighs. “I _still_ think that’s a bad idea.”

“Well I don’t particularly _care_ what you—“

“No! Shut up!” Tommy interjects, stomping towards the man who had practically become his older brother. “I’m talking about—“ he vaguely gestures to Techno’s torso. “All of _this_.”

Techno makes a last ditch attempt to play dumb, but is immediately refuted. “What—“

“You have so many _scars_.” Almost imperceptibly, Techno shifts his weight. Wilbur can’t believe his eyes.

Before he can question the very _idea_ of _Technoblade_ being nervous, the bastard himself plasters on a familiar cocky grin.

“I’ve told you a thousand times, Tommy. Don’t you remember?”

“Huh?”

“ _Technoblade never dies._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> I have more plans for this AU, so stay tuned for that! I’m thinking of calling it “Respawn, Reset”? Short, simple, a reminder of the premise behind it. Let me know what you think, and I’ll happily take requests for other stories and additions to the AU! How do we feel about maybe adding the Dream Team?  
> If you don’t want to comment, I can be reached at @mirandible on instagram and twitter, and mirandible#3783 on discord. Don’t hesitate to reach out! <3


End file.
